'Close to home' my reality of fire in Australia
As I am writing to you I am receiving notifications that the fires have spotted into the town of Eden. We still have fire on the mountain next to us but it is currently contained.‘Close to home’ my reality of fire in Australia by Robyn Hartley
‘Close to home’ my reality of fire in Australia.
I want to share with you my journey…
I live in Brogo NSW. Our local communities of Cobargo and Quaama were devastated on new years eve, two among many.
We evacuated at 3 am realising we couldn’t fight it. We made it out just before our highway turnoff was burnt. We came back a day later as the hill on our property was still on fire and we thought we could help to put it out. We couldn’t but the wind was in our favour. We only lost a part of our fencing.
We improved our fire fighting ability only to be evacuated a few days later at 4 am, when they predicted the possibility of catastrophic conditions. We came back again a day later delivering supplies to neighbours that hadn’t left their properties. There was a fire on two of our neighbours’ properties. Containment processes were carried out.
Again we improved our fire fighting capacity and determined we were ready. On the third time, we were advised to leave we decided the conditions were ones we could defend against. Luckily we didn’t have to. The water bomber came to put out the fire at one of our neighbours’ places.
On Sunday we met with our community as we listened to stories of people losing their homes or successfully defending. It is a community in shock.
As I am writing to you I am receiving notifications that the fires have spotted into the town of Eden.
We still have fire on the mountain next to us but it is currently contained. Rain is predicted tomorrow or the next day so I will probably be able to unpack the car for the first time in two weeks.
I wanted to share this level of detail with you because of the role NIODA played in this process. It was the deep integration of my understanding of leadership and taking up my role / own authority that consolidated at the last GRC that I consciously drew on, as well as my spiritual practice. My partner drew on the ‘strength that was coming through me’ which meant she could further draw on her own strength.
It helped me to; stay present to the changing conditions as we prepared our property, to manage my fear and to lean into the boundary to make decisions, to both go and then to stay, based on data that was in the now.
I want to express my deep gratitude for the space NIODA and all of the other organisations around the world hold, for deep and true learning about what leadership really is. That learning made a difference in a life-challenging situation.
A heartfelt thank you for the much-needed work that you do. This country and the world is crying out for true leadership to show up more. Know that you make a difference.
With love and gratitude,
Robyn
Robyn Hartley
Master of Leadership and Management (Organisation Dynamics) Student, NIODA
14 January 2020
‘Close to home’ my reality of fire in Australia
Are you a leader or manager and would like to learn more about group dynamics? Have a look at the NIODA Master of Leadership and Management (Organisation Dynamics) course.
‘Close to home’ my reality of fire in Australia by Robyn Hartley